Council’s Community Grants Fund, with up to $280,000 available, opens today for applications.

The fund is available for not-for-profit organisations providing services in the community covering a range of sectors including arts and heritage, sports and recreation, community welfare and social services.

Awatere Rugby Club is one of hundreds of community groups who have benefitted from the fund over the years. Awatere Rugby Club Treasurer Bernadette Gilmore said the club received $6000 from the fund for two heat pumps for the clubrooms in the 2023-2024 funding round.

“Before the new heat pumps, we had a diesel heater which was so noisy people could not hear each other speak and the clubrooms were cold,” Bernadette said.

“The funding we received has made the space so much more homely for players and supporters and more user-friendly for other groups who use the clubrooms. After standing on the sideline on a cold winter's day it is great to be able to go into warm clubrooms. A huge thank you to the Community Grants Fund,” she said.

Council’s Community Partnerships Advisor Jodie Griffiths said the Awatere Rugby Club was a great example of the “grassroots” organisations who benefit from the fund. “The clubrooms are a hub for the Seddon community, so the benefit of this funding is wider than the rugby club itself. It shows the positive impact this funding has for organisations and groups in many of our smaller Marlborough communities.”

“Council values the important contribution made by local organisations such as the Awatere Rugby Club and the work that is carried out in the community by so many organisations to provide activities and services to the people of Marlborough,” Mrs Griffiths said.

“If you are part of a Marlborough group with a project, idea or service that benefits the local community, it is time to thinking about making an application,” she said.

Applications close at 8am on Monday 19 August 2024.

For more information or to apply visit: https://bit.ly/MarlCommunityGrant For further information contact Jodie Griffiths or Natalie Lawler on Ph: 03 520 7400 or email: grantapplications@marlborough.govt.nz

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